US Presidential Election 2020 Betting Odds
The 2020 US presidential election is taking place in strange times. Set to the background of a global pandemic, the result could go right to the wire. Donald Trump versus Joe Biden is certainly one of the strangest elections ever for anyone looking for presidential odds.
If you’re looking to place some presidential election bets then read on! We’ll give you some tips on finding the best US presidential election 2020 odds, and which markets might offer you the best value. Presidential betting can be a surprising source of entertainment to keen bettors, with plenty of different markets to choose from.
Betting on the US Presidential Election
Contents
What is the Electoral College?
The Electoral College is how American presidential elections are determined. Essentially, each state votes separately for its chosen candidate. Each state then awards its own specific number of Electoral College votes to the candidate that has won most votes in that state. Each state has a different number of Electoral College votes to cast. The winner of the presidential election is the candidate with the most Electoral College votes.
Where to Find the Best Betting Value
When you’re looking at the odds for betting for presidential election outcomes, it can often pay off to look away from the conventional market of outright winner. Good betting value can be found by checking out some of the alternative markets we highlight here.
Check the odds for the popular vote
One potentially interesting market for punters who want to place presidential election bets is to look at the odds for the outcome of the popular vote. While it is the Electoral College that ultimately determines the outcome, bettors can sometimes find good value by betting on the result of the popular vote. The popular vote is a simple matter of which candidate receives more votes across the country.
The result of the popular vote can often be different to the outcome determined by the Electoral College. This means that you might well be able to find more tempting presidential betting odds for wagering on the outcome of the popular vote rather than the official result of the actual election.
Bet on the outcome of key states
Due to the Electoral College system, the voting outcomes in ‘swing states’ can be key to the eventual result of the election. This is why so many media pundits focus on the results in states like Florida, where the overall result is often determined. You can often find better value US presidential election 2020 odds by checking out the markets for the results in swing states.
Look for special markets
Presidential betting markets are not just about the ultimate winner. Just as you can find good value in betting on the outcomes in swing states, sometimes bookmakers offer tempting US presidential election 2020 betting odds for quirky markets like whether or not a candidate will say a particular phrase during the campaign. These markets can be a lot of fun, and it can pay to bet on them too!
How to Improve Your Chances of Placing Winning Bets
As with any kind of betting, whether it’s virtual sports betting or anything else, betting for presidential election outcomes is a matter of knowledge and insight. The more you know as a bettor, the more success you are likely to enjoy. So if you’re serious about finding the best US presidential election 2020 odds you need to do as much research as possible. Just as you would check out the stats for an NHL or NBA game, you need to do the same when it comes to political betting.
Just as sports bettors should stay up-to-date with all of the news in their favored sports, so should political betting enthusiasts keep track of the presidential election situation. We live in times when the news cycle moves extremely quickly, with social media amplifying everything that a candidate does and says. Comments made on Twitter by candidates or by people associated with their campaigns can mean that the situation changes very quickly indeed. Astute bettors should not only track sites like Twitter for news, but also check their favored bookmakers for changes in odds. US presidential election 2020 betting odds can fluctuate based on things that a candidate does and says, and spotting value is a key skill for the successful bettor.
Keep an eye on the opinion polls
One of the most important pieces of data to keep track of when preparing your presidential election bets is the opinion polls.
While these have often appeared wrong in the past when it comes to predicting the outcome of results, they are still the most reliable tool when it comes to assessing the likely result. Polling has become more sophisticated than ever in the internet age, so most polls contain at least some degree of truth. Everyone who wants to make use of US presidential election 2020 odds should make sure they track the opinion polls.
Find the Right Bookie
Of course, you need to find the right bookmaker if you want to make use of US presidential election 2020 betting odds. Bookies that offer a good range of political markets include Bet365, TonyBet, Pinnacle, 22Bet and Betway. Pinnacle has some of the biggest variety when it comes to markets for swing state results.
Predictions
Predicting the result of any election is fraught with difficulty. But if you’re looking for US presidential election 2020 odds then it is worth noting that record numbers of postal ballots have been cast this year. Those postal ballots mean that millions of people have already voted, and indications from the opinion polls indicate that many of those votes have gone the way of Joe Biden.
That does not make the result a cast-iron certainty, of course, but momentum seems to be with the Democratic challenger rather than the Republican incumbent. The ongoing Covid pandemic has cast further uncertainties into the election campaign too. Certainly, Trump’s handling of the national health crisis has not improved his poll ratings, and Biden’s more rational approach to the problem may well have allowed him to pick up support from older voters who are frightened about their health.
Biden might just edge it
With Biden ahead in the polls, it does look a lot like Trump may well be unseated at this election. One thing that events of the last few years have taught us in politics, though, is that nothing can be taken for granted in politics. As a result, presidential betting in 2020 might still throw up some surprises. But if we had to come down on one side of the fence or the other, we would probably bet on a Biden victory. How big that victory might be depends on a number of factors, though. We would certainly urge bettors to take advantage of US presidential election 2020 betting odds that offer a good price on Biden winning the popular vote, though, even if he does not capture an Electoral College victory.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to place some successful presidential election bets then there are a few important things to keep in mind. Always do your research and follow the news and opinion polls closely. You should also look at markets that are different from just the overall result, such as looking at who will win in swing states. If you back up your knowledge and market selection by also choosing the right bookie, you should do well!
Betting for Presidential Election FAQs
Joe Biden remains the favorite at most of the bookies offering odds on the presidential election. At many bookies, he is a very strong favorite indeed to win the popular vote as well as the overall election. Bettors looking to back Trump might be better served looking at states like Alaska, where the incumbent retains strong levels of support.
Bettors in the USA should always make sure that they check local laws and how they apply to them. But online bookies who are licensed in their own territories will often accept bets from US citizens. Again, we must stress that individuals must take responsibility for how local laws apply to them.
If you are looking for an online bookie that is happy to accept bets on the US presidential election then Pinnacle and Betway are both good options. There is a good range of markets on both sites as well as some tempting odds for anyone with an interest in betting on the election.
The day that the US presidential election is taking place on is November 3, 2020. The day is a Tuesday, which shouldn’t make much significant difference to the outcome. If you decide to place a wager or two on the result then we’re sure you’ll be glued to the media’s coverage of the event!